Flower Magic: New Beginning
by Pagan Goddess of Chocolate
Summary: [Marauders Era] Marie stands out from the crowd in ways other than just being the ‘new girl’. Her easy friendship with certain Hogwarts miscreants can only mean trouble for the future, as does being the only girl in a group of guys. Join Marie as she stru
1. Train Ride to Heaven

**Flower Magic: New Beginning**

_Marie stands out from the crowd in ways other than just being the 'new girl'. Her easy friendship with certain Hogwarts miscreants can only mean trouble for the future, as does being the only girl in a group of guys. Join Marie as she struggles through adolescence as a witch in the seventies._

I got the inspiration for this story form various songs (which you will find references to throughout the story) and it has been bugging at me to write it for months so I had to give in despite my wish to only write one story at a time. I'll do my best to update as soon as I can and I won't forget this story, if I don't update at least once a month I request that you all email me telling me to hurry it up. Anyway on with the story as I'm sure you are all excited to read it.

**Disclaimer:** Anything that you recognise is not mine. It either belongs to the artist that wrote the song or J.K. Rowling.

Enjoy!

**Chapter 1: Train ride to Heaven**

The girl sat down on the red leather train seat and folded her legs like she was about to meditate. She picked up her decorated guitar from next to her and began to play, closing her eyes and singing along.

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The Marauders walked the length of the Hogwarts Express, looking for an empty compartment, or at least one they could all squash into.

"You just _had_ to follow Evans to her compartment didn't you." Sirius whinged to his friend James, "Couldn't have gotten a seat and _then, _gone and chatted up your girlfriend."

"She's not my girlfriend Sirius." James said forcefully.

"Oh of _course_ not. You just make us follow her around every day for the fun of it."

"Stop bickering you two and try and find a seat." Remus said to his two closest friends who were busy glaring at each other.

"I don't like Evans." James mumbled.

"What was that? You like Evans?" Sirius said loudly causing a Ravenclaw girl in the compartment they were passing to look up curiously.

"Shut up Sirius!"

"Look there's one!" Squeaked Peter Pettigrew, the timid and rather rat like hanger on of the Marauders.

"There's someone in it though. Can't you find any others?" James asked hopefully.

"No. It's second from the end and the last compartment is full of seventh years." Remus was always the sensible, restrained one.

Sirius growled and strode over to the compartment Peter was gesturing to. "Hey guys, come and have a look at this!"

The other Marauders crammed in behind him to get a good look in the compartment. A girl sat crossed legged with a guitar on her lap. It was decorated in symbols that none of them recognised, she had her hair flung over one shoulder and a patterned scarf tied around her head. Her eyes were closed and she was singing along but her voice was only a muffled humming behind the door.

"Seems to be really getting into it doesn't she?" James asked curiously. "Who is she do you know?"

"No idea mate. Think we should go in?" It was Sirius this time who was also watching the girl inquisitively. He had never seen her before in his life.

In answer James opened the slid open the door and entered the rather confined space. The others crammed in behind him but the girl didn't pause in her strumming or show any sign that they knew the young men were there.

"…_in case you don't know, the pipers calling you to join him…"_ her voice was slightly husky but surprisingly pleasant. She still showed no sign of acknowledging their presence.

The boys exchanged looks before James took charge and coughed, "Err.. Hello?" She didn't respond but continued on with her song. "Hello?" He asked again, louder this time. Still no response.

"Maybe she's deaf?" Remus asked, frowning.

"I doubt it." Grumbled Sirius, he wanted to sit down and he wasn't going to wait around forever for some silly girl to finally acknowledge their existence, and who knew how long that would take? He lent forward and tapped her on the shoulder whilst virtually yelling "Hello" into her ear.

She raised a finger to her lips, silencing them and changed the tempo of her song, and her voice, "_And as we wind on down the road, our shadows taller than our soul. There walks a lady we all know, who shines white light and wants to show…"_

They continued to exchange glances for the next minute until the girl had finished. Singing the final note she opened her eyes and looked up. "Hey man, sorry to keep you waiting like that but once I get started I can't stop."

"Err... right. Ok then..." James was slightly stunned by this young woman, she spoke with a strange accent too.

"I guess yous'd wanna sit down ey man?" She unfolded her legs and picked the wand up that was on the seat next to her.

"Thanks, we were looking for a seat. That's why we came here. This was the last compartment that wasn't already full." Remus was the first to settle into the seat opposite her, the other followed his lead though Peter looked scared as he took the free seat beside her.

"Gees man, no need to be frightened of me! I won't bite!" She patted the boy next to her on the shoulder and he gulped, Peter looked even more scared then ever.

Sirius adopted his usual casual yet elegant pose leaning back against the seat. "So who are you exactly?"

"Oh, sorry, I'm so rude. I'm Marie Harlden. I'm new, just moved here a few weeks ago."

"Really, I've never heard of anyone transferring into another school before, there's the odd exchange student but that's it. So where do you come from? America?" Remus leaned forward in his seat.

Marie laughed, "Yeah, apparently I'm the first in a fair while. I'm from Australia though, not America man. True blue Aussie through and through mate." For some reason saying this seemed to make her laugh even harder.

"And do they all speak and dress like you?" She was wearing a t-shirt with some sort of picture on it that was obscured buy the guitar and it sat slightly off one shoulder. Her Jeans were tight to the knee where they flared out dramatically.

She laughed again, "No, no. God no. Well the accent is the same but most don't say man anywhere near as frequently, and the clothes, well, I'm a hippie mate."

"A hippie? What on earth is a hippie?" Peter squeaked.

"You don't know what a hippie is? Have you been living under a rock since the sixties man?" Marie raised her eyebrows in amazement.

"The name does sound somewhat familiar…are you some sort of organisation or something?" James asked but just as Marie opened her mouth to answer the door to the compartment opened and a pretty red headed girl with green eyes stepped in. James ruffled his hair in an attempt to make it look like he had just gotten off his broom.

"You guys don't know what a hippie is?" Lilly asked in amazement as she entered the cramped compartment. She looked Marie over, shaking her head but had a grin plastered on her face.

"Well, no."

"They are… a type… of people I guess. They all dress like that or in long, patterned skirts and stuff. Kinda like that scarf she's wearing. They drive around in Combis, listen to music, do drugs whilst protesting against things and being all for peace and free love. They are generally really happy, musical, sorts. It's a muggle thing though so I suppose I shouldn't be surprised you don't know. You must be muggle born I take it?" Lilly had addressed Marie this time.

"My father is a muggle, my mum's a squib. I was brought up pretty much like a muggle though, my parents weren't sure if I would develop powers or not. We don't all do drugs you know!" Marie added defensively.

"Well the stereotype is that you do and I guess they need to know that first before they learn the rest of your culture. I'm Lilly Evans by the way." She reached out her hand to shake it and Marie accepted.

"Marie Harlden. Sit down man. Don't just stand around like that all day."

"Thanks. Pleased to meet you Marie." Lilly took the seat next to the young hippie who had to shift her guitar so she could fit in.

"So these… hippies… you're into free love ey?" Sirius gave Marie one of his cheeky grins that he thought made him look 'damn sexy' and Marie poked her tongue out in return. She was quite pretty now that he looked at her, though slightly plump, and so unlike any of the strict wizards he normally encountered.

"What year are you guys in?" Marie asked curiously.

"Fourth, we are all in Gryffindor too."

"So am I man! What's Gryffindor though?"

"Gryffindor is our house, we stay in that group of people for our classes and where we sleep etc… Gryffindor is for the brave and loyal, Ravenclaw the intelligent, Hufflepuff the caring and those that don't really fit anywhere else and then there is Slytherin… that's the bad one." Remus's lip curled slightly as he mentioned Slytherin.

"Well they aren't all bad I guess… well… maybe they are but still Remus. Don't be so stereotypical." Jumped in Lilly.

"Stereotypical! You're the one that said all hippies were into Muggle drugs!"

"I didn't say that I was mear-"

"Ok guys, calm down don't get into an argument over whatever it is you're arguing about. I'm not really sure myself, but chill." The two settled back into their seats but kept shooting glares at each other.

"Do you know what house you are in? Do they just transfer you into the one that is most similar to your house in Australia?" James asked, for once passing on the right to argue with Lilly to Remus.

"We didn't have houses in Womroodna, that was my schools name, I don't think there was enough of us there. We just stayed in year groups, there was about twenty kids each year."

"Wow that must mean you have to be sorted then!" Lilly sounded excited. "I have never heard of anyone other than a first year being sorted!"

"I wonder if she'll have to line up with all the little kids?" Asked Sirius as he cleaned out some dirt from under his nails, forever the causal elegance.

James laughed, "Probably, you'll stand a foot taller than most of them though."

"I'd better be getting back to my carriage then. I just came to tell you guys that there is a rumour going around that Filch is really cracking down on banned items this year. He's apparently allowed to search people trunks and everything. It's probably just some hoax but I thought I would pass on the warning. Well see you in the Great Hall for the feast." Lilly turned to leave then paused and waved back over her shoulder, "Nice to meet you Marie!"

"And you to Lilly." Now that there was room Marie placed her guitar in its original position on her lap, poised to play.

"What was that song you were playing when we came in?" James questioned. "Was it an Australian song, or a muggle song or something, I'd never heard it before."

"Stairway to Heaven by Led Zeppelin, it's a good song, a muggle one. I prefer that sort of music over most of the wizarding world's music. Give my some good ol' rock any day."

"You have quite a nice voice. Would you play us another song? We need to hear more of this muggle music."

Marie traced one of the Peace signs painted on her guitar, considering. "Another Led Zeppelin one?"

"Sure, why not." Sirius put in and Marie plucked a note.

"_You need coolin, baby, I'm not foolin, I'm gonna send you back to schoolin…"_

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The rest of the trip was spent educating the four rather ignorant fourteen (nearly fifteen, as James kept reinforcing) year old boys on the ways of muggles, most specifically their music (in which knowledge they were all terribly lacking), hippies, and the fact that Australian witches _didn't_ ride flying kangaroos rather than brooms.

By the time they had all changed into their robes and arrived at school the group (minus peter who still appeared terrified of Marie) had formed a sort of fast friendship. All of them, in their own way, outcasts from the rest of the school.

James, Sirius, Remus and even little Peter were all rather amused though when Marie was led away by Hagrid, the Gamekeeper who this year had only just taken over full Gamekeeping duties, to travel across the lake by boat with the first years.

Jumping into the horseless carriages the Marauders travelled up to the castle to await the feast and Marie's sorting.

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I hope you guys all enjoyed this first chapter. This is my first Harry Potter fic so please give constructive criticism but no flames please.

Review, review, review!


	2. A Change in Tradition

**Flower Magic: New Beginning**

I like how this chapter turned out so I hope you all do too. And yes, to answer the questions I am Australian and yes, hippies did spread this far. They're everywhere man!

Review!

**Chapter 2: A Change in Tradition**

Marie had found the trip across the Great Lake rather enjoyable, despite the fact that she was surrounded by children three years her junior. She had travelled in a boat of her own, giving her ample opportunity to get a bearing of the size of Hogwarts and its grounds. It was so undeniably different to Womroodna Marie wondered how she would ever get used to it here after three years of schooling in Australia.

Before she knew it she had arrived on the other side of the lake, her boat gently bumping into the jetty. She jumped easily onto the wooden jetty having grown up on the coast in Australia and couldn't help but laugh slightly as she saw some of the first years scrambling out of the boats next to hers. One of them, a small blonde haired boy, looked a sickening shade of green despite the fact that the lake was flat.

They were greeted by a Professor McGonagall, a middle aged teacher who according to the whisperings of a first year taught Transfiguration and was the head of Gryffindor house. "Miss Harlden, if I might have a word before we proceed into the Great Hall."

"Yeah sure." Marie walked nervously over to the professor who was looking at her with a disapproving stare. She ignored the whisperings of the younger students as she passed.

"I'm not sure how things are run in Australia Miss Harlden but I can assure you that we expect more respect and obedience to the dress code here if I am to expect anything from your current behaviour. I know it might seem like you will be a novelty here and I can assure you for a few days you will but after that you will be just like any other student and you will be treated just as any other student from the moment you set foot in that hall." Professor McGonagall said sternly.

"Pardon?" Marie was really confused. _What on earth is she talking about?_

"I expect you read the school dress code?" Marie nodded, "Then why are you wearing that offensively noticeable scarf in your hair?"

"The scarf?" She reached a hand to her scarf and fiddled with it slightly. "What about it? It's just a scarf."

"Yes a scarf that is worn in obvious disrespect to this schools rules." The professor looked as if she was going to burst.

"I always wear a scarf, I can assure you that it's in no disrespect to this school."

"Well as I stated previously I don't know how things are run where you come from but here I must ask you to remove it at once." Grumbling Marie pulled the scarf out of her hair, letting her shoulder blade length hair hang free, and stuffed the patterned scarf into her pocket. "And you will address me and any other teachers here as either sir, madam, or professor."

"Yes, _madam_._"_ Marie growled and Professor McGonagall sniffed disdainfully.

"If you will all follow me into the hall the sorting will begin. Miss Harledn, if you will stay ahead slightly. We will deal with you first."

The students to be sorted followed the Professor in single file across the entrance hall and into the Great hall, Marie a few steps in front of the first year following her. The magnificent oak doors swung open to reveal 5 tables. Four were occupied by students and she assumed that they must be divided into houses as the students were all trimmed in different colours depending upon the table. The fifth table ran parallel to the Entrance Hall and was inhabited by the teachers of Hogwarts.

In the centre of the table stood an elderly man with waist length grey hair and beard. He smiled down kindly upon Marie and the first years as they approached the teachers table. She passed what must have been the Gryffindor table as James, Sirius, Remus, Peter and Lily all waved energetically at her. Marie grinned back and she could hear the gossiping going on around her, about the 'new girl' that wasn't a first year.

Dead silence echoed around the hall as the old man who Marie assumed must be the Headmaster raised his hands. "Welcome, to another year at Hogwarts: School of Witchcraft and Wizardry! For those of you who do not know me, or may have forgotten," A second year elbowed the boy sitting next to him who was blushing profusely, "I am Professor Albus Dumbledore and Headmaster of this fine establishment. This year, we have a slightly different procedure to what usually occurs during the sorting process. This year, for the first time in a very many years we welcome a student who as joined us at a time other than in their first year. She comes to us from the far, exotic," Marie snorted loudly and earned a glare from Professor McGonagall, "and from what I have heard outrageously hot country of Australia. I hope you will all welcome her warmly amongst yourself and she will soon be able to call herself a Hogwarts student with pride. Now, without further ado let the sorting begin."

A grubby looking man stepped forward and placed a stool with an ancient looking wizard hat atop it. He sneered as he surveyed the new batch of first years and scurried aside. Professor McGonagall stepped forward and spoke to the new enrolments, "Now, when I say your name please come forward, sit and place the Sorting Hat on your head." The first years looked around nervously, some giving small waves to relatives amongst the older students. McGonagall glared pointedly at Marie's pocket were part of her scarf was hanging out in, the colours in stark contrast to the black of her robes. Marie stuffed it hurriedly into her pocket and stepped forward as her name was called.

"Harlden, Marie."

Hush had descended once more as she stepped forward and placed the old hat on her head before sitting down nervously. She could feel her hands shaking as they gripped the stool tightly.

"Well hello there!" The hat said and Marie jumped what felt like a foot into the air, she wondered if any of the other students had noticed. "This is different I must say, haven't done this in a very, very long time. Well lets get on with it shall we. Your smart, but not outrageously so, so I won't go putting you into Ravenclaw. Your brave, but one could think otherwise after seeing you jump when you put me on." Marie blushed, "Gryffindor, maybe, maybe. Hmm… You can be sneaky, o yes, _very_ sneaky and sly too. Hmm… But I'm not sure that would be right for you." The hat paused again for a moment before shouting, "GRYFFINDOR!"

The Hall rang with the Gryffindors cheers, the other tables all seemed to look slightly disappointed. She guessed that she _must_ be considered a novelty to the other students. Grinning she walked over to the Gryffindor table where Lily had made her friends move over so she could squeeze in.

"I'm so happy you got into our house! I was dreading that you might be put into Slytherin or something like that but you really didn't seem the type." Lily beamed and the other girls around her smiled at Marie curiously.

"Congratulations Marie!" Yelled Remus from a few students along.

"Yeah congratulations!" Called James and Sirius. Peter looked nervous.

McGonagall clapped her hands for attention and the hall slowly quietened again, no where near as quickly as it had for Dumbledore though. The sorting continued through the first years, as did the curious glances Marie kept receiving. All in all there were ten other students added to Gryffindor's swelling ranks.

When the sorting was completed Dumbledore stood again and declared the feast begun, food materialised on the gold plates before them and the students began to dig in. As Maries was dishing herself up some Shepard's pie the questions began.

"What is Australia like?" "What was your old school like?" "Why did you come here?" "Do you _really_ ride flying kangaroos rather than broomsticks?"

Some of the questions were quite sensible but others were so out there she wondered if some of the students even knew where Australia was.

After the puddings and other deserts were cleaned away Dumbledore rose to give his final speech of the evening. He was a good speaker, Marie couldn't deny that, he somehow managed to command the attention of everyone in the hall, both alive and dead. After giving an outline on the banned substances by order of Mr Flitch (the seedy looking man who had brought out the Sorting Hat) he wished all the students a good night and the hall was filled with the sound of scraping benches.

"Follow me Marie!" Called Lily over the deafening chatter as she pushed her way through the crowd and into the entrance hall. "I'll show you how to get up to the Gryffindor common room and dormitories."

The Marauders took this as their opportunity to pounce and they too pushed their way through the crowd and after Marie who was now replacing the scarf on her head. "Didn't really get the chance to congratulate you on getting into our house back there." Said James as he walked a few steps behind Marie and Lily.

"Yeah, Lily got to you before we could, had a feeling you'd end up with us though." Added Sirius who was walking next to James.

Lily rolled her eyes and pulled Marie forward when she showed signs of wanting to stop and talk. "Come on you don't really want to hang around with _them_ do you. All they do is cause trouble."

Marie came to an abrupt standstill. "Sorry man, but I thought they actually seemed alright. Why shouldn't I speak to them? You do."

"Yes, well, you don't know them like I do."

"Oi! Evans! Stop whispering bad things in her ear and let us speak to her. We found her first." Yelled James who was ruffling his hair.

"Yeah but you guys didn't know what a hippie was." Retorted Lily. It became apparent to Marie that this sort of thing happened regularly between the two.

Remus caught her eye and then rolled his own, motioning for him to follow her. Marie agreed, she didn't particularly want to be stuck between the arguing couple, and neither, it seemed, did anyone else.

Once they had gotten ten or so meters away Remus explained. "They have been arguing like that over anything and everything since they first met as first years."

Sirius jogged up on Marie's other side, "It's a whole lotta sexual tension if you ask me."

Remus laughed.

"So do they like each other then?" Marie asked curiously.

"Well obviously." Sirius looked exasperated, "What do you think James was doing the whole hair ruffling thing for?"

"Well I don't know man. Maybe it was just a habit, like a twitch or something."

"It is, he doe-" Sirius was cut off by Remus who informed the new girl that they had arrived.

They stood before a large painting of a very fat lady. "Password?"

"_Midnight sol solis." _Said Remus and the portrait swung forward, revealing a large hole behind it that led into a comfy looking room.

"Welcome to Gryffindor Tower. This is the common room and the stairs to the left lead to the male dormitories, you will find the ones to your right will lead you to the female dormitories." Sirius put on a fake posh accent and gave a mock bow.

"It's all very red isn't it?"

"Red and gold are the Gryffindor colours. Yellow and black are Hufflepuff, Blue and bronze are Ravenclaw and green and silver are Slytherin." It appeared to Marie that Remus was the most intelligent of the lot as he seemed to be giving her all the information on everything. He and Lily that is, but Lily was currently absent, more than likely still arguing with James.

"So where will all my stuff be? Do I have to go down and get it?"

"You stuff should already be in your dorm. You should go up now if you want to avoid more questions."

"Is that just a nice way of getting rid of me? 'Cos man, it ain't working." Marie laughed and stepped further into the common room. The other Gryffindors looked up and their eyes seemed to be brimming with questions, noticing the truth in Remus's words Marie couldn't help but agree with him. As a second year stood and began to make his way over Marie hastily changed her mind. "Actually man, that seems like a pretty good idea. Goodnight everyone!"

The others noticed the boy who was now looking slightly crestfallen and laughed a goodnight.

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The dormitory was crowded with five four poster, curtained beds. The curtains were coloured red and gold, as where the sheets and bedspreads. Miranda felt sure she would be well and truly sick of the colours by the time she graduated. To her relief her trunk and guitar case were all safely stashed at the end of her bed, as were the other inhabitants of the room's. No one else was there currently so Marie took advantage of the time to unpack.

A few minutes later, however, she was interrupted by a flustered looking Lily. "That James Potter! I swear, one day I'll kill him!" She threw herself down on her bed.

"Violence isn't the answer man." Came a startled Marie.

Lily grumbled something into her quilt before beginning her own unpacking. She pinned up a poster of David Cassidy next to her bed.

"Whoa man. You can put up posters here? I thought it would be too strict for that!"

"Yeah of course you can. We have to have some freedom of expression in our own rooms don't we?" Lily continued to pin up another poster, this one of some famous wizard Marie didn't know.

"Awesome. I'll have to get mum to send me some of my stuff to put up then. Where do we get owls from?"

"Up in the owlery, I'll take you there tomorrow if you want."

"Thanks man, that'd be great."

"Sure, no problem."

The two continued their unpacking uninterrupted until another girl burst in. "Lily! I've been looking for you everywhere, you just took off with the new girl and completely forgot about us!"

Marie could see two other girls standing behind her in the doorway. She recognised them as having sat next to her during the feast. Marie coughed politely, alerting the others to her presence.

The girl in front blushed, "Oh, sorry. I didn't realise you were here. I'm Margaret Carroll. This is Emma Robertson and Mahdi Nass." She gestured to the petite blonde and tall and slim dark girl behind her.

"Pleased to meet you."

"Same to you." The other girls took to their beds and began to unpack. Marie's bed was between Margaret and Mahdi's.

"I guess you must be sick of being questioned tonight?" Mahdi asked conversationally as she pulled out some of her new textbooks.

"Yeah pretty much. I never knew how hectic it would be, coming to a new school. It's crazy man." Marie and Mahdi both laughed and continued to unpack their trunks.

After half an hour all the girls decided to have an early night in preparation for the following day. Marie drew the curtains around her bed and fell asleep, dreaming of what would come to past on her first, proper, day at Hogwarts: School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

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Well I hope you all enjoy this new update. It will be my last for two weeks as I'm off to Fiji. YAY! I'll try and update as soon as I get back though.

Please press that pretty little button in the corner and REVIEW! Thankyou very muchly.

Pagan


	3. First Day

**Flower Magic: New Beginning**

Well this has to be the longest chapter I have ever written. It tops 5,200 words and 12 pages. Sorry about the wait between chapters, it took me a while to get back into a writing mood and this chapter (as I'm sure you can imagine) took a while to write. Well I like this chapter, I'm really getting into this story and I have the whole thing laid out. I'm considering maybe making this into a series but I won't go into that now. Anyway, enjoy!

**Chapter 3: First Day**

Dawn crept through the drawn curtains, falling on Marie's bed and waking her up. The rest of the girls were still asleep but Marie, full of nerves and anxiety of what her first day would hold couldn't put herself back to sleep. Remembering what Lily had said the night before about posters Marie rummaged through her trunk and pulled out her stationary.

_Dear Mum,_

_I'm at Hogwarts now, they are so uptight here. It's crazy man. This teacher (she's head of my house too! I'm in Gryffindor by the way, that's the lion one.) chucked a fit cos I was wearing my scarf, I always wear one! They're just into suppressing individualism, and no one knew what a hippie was! One girl did, she's muggle born so she's not completely clueless. Her name is Lily and she's really nice, I met some guys on the train too, they seem pretty cool. I don't really have much more time to write now; I'm supposed to be getting ready. Pfft…I'll send you your long and detailed letter like you requested later._

_This brings me to what I was actually writing about. We are allowed posters! I was amazed when I found out like I'm sure you will be. If you could take down a few (and by a few I mean all of them) choice posters and send them to me I'd love you for it._

_Your sickeningly sweet and loving daughter,_

_Marie_

Marie finished the letter and rolled it up just as the other girls were waking.

"You're up early Marie." Called Mahdi as she scrambled out of bed.

"Yeah I woke up with the sun and couldn't get back to sleep, it wasn't good man. Not good at all. Took advantage of the time though and wrote a letter to mum." Marie waved the rolled up letter in front of her.

"Writing letters to your mummy already?" Margaret mocked, "You've been here what? Ten hours at the most?"

Lily sent an angry glance her way and got an equally dislike filled one returned. There was an obvious power struggle occurring between the two.

"I was asking for her to send me some posters to put up on my wall." Marie continued to Mahdi.

"O Yeah, I'll take you to the owlery after last period. If that's alright?" Lily asked and pulled on her socks.

"Yeah man that's cool." Marie put on her robes and tied an orange and teal tie-died scarf around her head, ignoring the warning Professor McGonagall had issued her last night.

Now that they were dressed the girls made their way out of Gryffindor Tower and joined the flood making its way into the great hall for breakfast.

"Marie!" Yelled Sirius as they were passing through the doors into the Great Hall, "Over here!"

Seeing this as an opportunity to escape the mocking Margaret, Marie said a quick goodbye to the girls and hurried over to join Sirius, James, Remus and Peter who were just taking their seats at the Gryffindor table. She was greeted by a chorus of good mornings and popped herself down between Remus and Sirius.

"I see you had an encounter with the dreaded Marg." James leaned forward and poured himself a glass of pumpkin juice.

"You mean Margaret?" James nodded, "Yeah man, she doesn't seem the nicest of sorts." Marie tracked the path of James's goblet to his lips, "What's that?"

"This?" He pointed to his goblet and Marie nodded, never taking her eyes off the mysterious liquid, "Pumpkin Juice."

"Pumpkin juice? Riiiiiight…" She gave it a suspicious look and began to scan the table for other drinks.

"Try it, it's not that bad. I quite like it myself." The boy passed her over his goblet and she took a tentative sip and handed it back. It wasn't that bad after all, despite what the name would suggest. She was _not_ a lover of pumpkin.

Marie poured herself her own goblet and sculled it down, much to the amusement of the boys around her. "So I presume you don't like this… Marg."

Sirius laughed, "Then you would be presuming correctly. We aren't her biggest fans by any means."

"But she's yours." James waggled his eyebrows and laughed.

"As are many, and there are many I would prefer over her." Sirius fell back into his casual yet somehow elegant and extremely attractive pose.

Marie laughed, "You're quite the womaniser I see then Sirius."

"That's the understatement of the century." Remus laughed and everyone else joined in.

"I can't help it if women find me extremely attractive." He threw up his hands in mock defence and everyone once again fell into fits of laughter at his cocky arrogance.

Once the Marauders and Marie had calmed down they found Professor McGonagall waiting angrily behind them, ready to hand out their timetables for the year. She thrust the boys theirs before turning on Marie. "Take that disgrace out _now_!" She growled dangerously.

Marie snatched her scarf out of her hair at the look on the professor's face and muttered an almost inaudible "Oops."

"And don't let me see it in again! I trust the boys will show you how to read your timetable if you do not already know." With that she roughly handed Marie her timetable and walked on to the smiling group of Lily and Margaret who were treating the professor with sweet and innocent smiles on their faces.

As soon as Professor McGonagall was out of sight Marie fitted the scarf back into her hair. "Seems like you're already on the professor's bad side."

"Tell me about it man."

James chuckled, "Join the club, we are all pretty much hated by the teachers, well except for Remus, he's the teachers pet."

"I am not." Shot back Remus indignantly with a whine in his voice.

"Oh of _course_ not, mate." Sirius laughed and Remus crossed his arms, pretending to ignore them.

"Looks like I'm better suited here then, eh man." Marie pointed in the direction of Margaret, the height of suck up student perfection.

"Looks like it mate. Sorry about that." Sirius patted the girl next to him on the back.

"Do you think I'm really troubled by it? Can you really see me there?" She pointed again to Margaret who was curling her hair around her finger and gazing at Sirius with a rapt expression.

"Yeah you're right. I really can't. So what do you have first?"

"Ummm…." Marie scanned her timetable, "Divination by the looks of things."

"Let me see," she handed Remus the timetable and he reaffirmed what she had said, "Divination… then Transfiguration, after that you have Care of Magical creatures followed by… Potions."

Remus looked down at his own timetable, "Well you have Transfiguration, Defence Against the Dark Arts and History of Magic with me … yuck we have a double period Wednesday." Just then the bell rang.

"Anyone do Divination?" Marie asked as she stood and picked up her bag.

"Sorry, me, Peter and James have Muggle Studies." Sirius too grabbed his bag, "And how my mother _loves _it. I hate it personally, only do it to spite her." He laughed and headed out, the others soon following so Marie was left standing on her own.

"Yeah well thanks man." Marie started off to the doors hoping desperately she'd run into someone who was doing the same class as her.

"Hey Marie!" She spun around to see Mahdi running up after her, dragging another girl behind her. "Do you do Divination now?"

"Yeah man. Do you?"

"Yeah, me and Siobhan saw you wandering and wondered what you had and thought we could help." Mahdi pointed to the girl with pale, clear skin and long dark hair standing next to her who smiled timidly.

"Thanks man. I had absolutely no idea where I was going. The guys just upped and left me, I don't think they realised I didn't know where to go."

Mahdi and Siobhan laughed. "Yeah they tend to do that a lot. Well we'd better hurry up or we'll be late, the hall's almost empty as it is and you don't want to be late on your first day."

* * *

The three girls arrived at the North Tower, puffing but just in time.

"Lucky, girls," The teacher was a short and round lady that looked like a typical Gypsy, she looked at Marie's scarf and smiled approvingly. Marie grinned in return, she was going to like this class, she just knew it.

The three girls settled around an empty table, leaning back in the comfy armchairs that surrounded the circular table.

"For those of you who do not know me," The professor smiled in Marie's direction, "My name is Professor Gryphon Petulengro, but you may call me Professor Petu, or if you are feeling particularly adventurous Gryphon, as I know many of you find it hard to pronounce my full name. This year, we will be continuing on with crystal balls and palmistry with a bit of astronomy and horoscopes thrown in towards the end. Now, if you will all take out your textbooks and turn to _Advanced Ball Gazing_ on page 146."

There was a shuffling as the class pulled out their textbooks and turned to the said page. "Alright everyone, please read this and then practice the exercises on the next page. I'll be walking around handing out crystal balls and ready to come to anyone's assistance if they so desire or need it."

Divination passed in a rather enjoyable flash. Marie had really come to like Mahdi and Siobhan, despite Mahdi's friendship with Margaret who already she shared little of her large amounts of love with. Siobhan was a Ravenclaw who as it turns out was also in Marie and Mahdi's Herbology class. She was a quietly pretty girl and didn't speak much at first but once she got going there was little way to stop her. Something that they soon began to call the snowballing effect.

When the bell rang to signal the start of the break between this class and the next Marie had found herself in a very happy mood, she liked the girls she had befriended very much and Professor Petu was, well … awesome.

After the break she bid Siobhan goodbye and her and Mahdi started on their way to Transfiguration. She had missed the Marauders in the break but since this was a Gryffindor mandatory class was sure to catch up with them then. Marie and Mahdi were some of the first students in the room, as time passed more and more entered and people mingled amongst the desks. Lily walked over, closely followed by Margaret and Emma who muttered a grudging hi before taking their seats a few places along.

The Marauders were still missing and Marie wondered what was taking them so long. She was getting rather worried as she had no idea were to sit and the seats were rapidly filling. Suddenly a rather frazzled looking Remus entered the room gestured to a group of seats up the back. She hurried to them and sat down, just as Professor McGonagall entered the room.

"Where are the others?" Marie leaned over to Remus and whispered.

"They'll be here soon enough, shhh…" He replied and straightened back up in his seat fast as lightning. Marie looked up to find the professor's glare greeting her.

"Have I not told you repeatedly Miss Harlden to get that monstrosity _out of your hair_?" She yelled and the class went dead still.

"But man…. It's me. I always wear a…" McGonagall leaned in so their faces nearly touched, terrified, Marie finally managed to mumble a finish to her sentence, "…scarf."

"Well not in my classroom you won't, or in this school for that matter. I'm sure there are some teachers who don't mind, or may even _encourage_ this sort of behaviour," McGonagall scowled and Marie instantly thought of Professor Petu, "But that is not me, and as long as I am at this school you w-"

A loud crack erupted from the doorway and students jumped under desks as if it was rehearsed practice. As she was later to learn this sort of thing occurred regularly. Remus grabbed Marie and pulled her under a desk with him just as smoke poured into the room. Professor McGonagall had pulled out her wand and was zapping gigantic, buzzing bees made of smoke as they flew around the room. It was having no effect however as they simple split into more, smaller, smoke bees. There seemed no end to their multiplication and no way of defeating them.

"What's going on?" Marie whispered, a grin was spreading across Remus's face as he watched the professor struggle.

"It's the boys' start of year prank."

"By boys you mean James, Sirius and … Peter?" Marie laughed as she imagined the small, rat like boy pulling off something like this. She really couldn't see it.

Remus seemed to have the same idea, "James and Sirius's, Peter just tags along because he thinks it will make him popular."

Marie snorted as Professor McGonagall continued to fire jets of red light at the smoke bees, only succeeding in making more. The rest of the class hiding under the desks were laughing insanely until finally she gave up. "I want everyone to carefully proceed into the corridor, and wait patiently for my return."

The laughing class made its way cautiously into the corridor, dodging bees on the way. Once everyone was outside the professor slammed the door shut, stopping any of the smoke bees from escaping before leaving for the staff room where she was going to find assistance.

Once McGonagall had gone a mischievous looking Sirius and James and a petrified Peter strolled around the corner, hands in the air as they greeted the applause. Marie laughed as they walked over to them, applause still echoing off the stone walls. "Who do you think you are? The Fonz or something?"

"Who's the Fonz?" Sirius asked, still grinning.

"You know, man. The Fonz…" Marie was returned with four blank faces and rolled her eyes, "You know… from Happy Days… you know…" Still blank faces, "Gees man, you guys know nothing."

After a few moments confused pause Sirius spoke up, "So what did you guys think?"

Remus laughed, "Back to your usual tricks already. I was wondering though, how do you get rid of them?"

James grinned and took over, "You see, the brilliant thing about this prank is that it's on a timer. There's no way to get rid of them until time is up, they should last for an hour or so, so if our timing was correct they should disappear just after the bell rings."

"Brilliant, brilliant." Remus shook his head, "If you put in as much intelligence and effort into your school work as you do in your pranks you would be brilliant."

"But Remus. Then what would be the point of having you around!" Sirius laughed, "Now be quiet you're sounding like McGonagall. Speaking of which…"

McGonagall had rounded the corner with tiny professor Flitwick in tow and stopped suddenly in front of the group of boys and girl. "Where have you three been?"

"In the bathroom Professor, we didn't hear the bell go and were just wondering what was going on when we ran into this lot." James covered up quickly, he was quite the liar but it was obvious McGonagall didn't believe him.

"Well make sure you are on time next time Mr Potter." She turned her attention to the rest of the class, "Now if you will all stay here please, Professor Flitwick and I are going to banish these creatures then the lesson will continue as planned."

The bell rang just as the Professor opened the door, finally victorious. The class had spent the lesson standing outside the door chatting and the argument about Marie's scarf (which she was still wearing) had been completely forgotten. Professor McGonagall sent a scowl in the direction of James and Sirius before ordering the class to read chapter one of their textbooks for homework and promising they would continue the lesson next time they meet.

* * *

Care of Magical Creatures was held on the front lawn and run by a teacher called Professor Kettleburn. He was an odd man of medium build with a handlebar moustache. This class was shared with the Slytherins, who according to James were only there to be hated and the archrivals of the Gryffindors.

Following Care of Magical Creatures was potions, this class was also held with the Slytherins. It was here that she was first … introduced… to Severus.

"Oi! You! Snivelus!" Sirius yelled at a scrawny and greasy looking Slytherin. He looked up and his black eyes narrowed.

"What do you want Black." He spat out the name as if it were poison.

"I was just wondering if you had happened to change your underwear today. Do you want me to check for you?" Sirius pulled out his wand and the Gryffindors began to cheer, realising what he was about to Marie put her hand on is raised wand arm in an attempt to stop him. He looked at her with a raised eyebrow. "What?"

"Make love, not war, man." Marie said and snatched his wand from his hand. Sirius recoiled, his mouth twisting and his hands over his eyes.

"Why did you have to say that? Why did you even have to think it? My minds eye is tainted. You've scared me for life you have." Sirius rubbed at his eyes and face, pointing accusingly at Marie.

She raised her hands in defence. "It's just a saying man, why do guys always have to take everything the wrong way. Sheesh."

"Everybody inside!" Called a round man from the doorway.

The class filed in and took seats at the tables. The Marauders took their seats at the back of the room and since there were only four to a table Marie took a seat in the empty row in front. It didn't seem anyone was too keen on sitting in front of them and being at the mercy of Sirius and James's pranks.

"Do you want one of us to move next to you?" Remus asked but Marie kindly denied. She'd manage on her own.

But it didn't seem she was to stay on her own, as soon as Lily had spotted the fact that Marie was sitting by herself she had left her place in a flash so she could sit next to her. She heard Sirius elbow James and then James mumble something angrily in return that sounded suspiciously like "I don't like Evans" before Lily took her seat. Lily was closely followed by Mahdi who sat on her other side.

As Marie turned to greet them she spotted Margaret and Emma sending her scowls from their desk across the room, now two people less.

"Silence, everyone, silence. As my traditional start of the year class competition, I will be offering a bottle of Felix Felicis to the best potion brewed this lesson. Everything is written up on the board, begin." He flicked his wand and the ingredients and method for the potion they were creating today appeared on the board. There was a scramble to get out books and collect ingredients that Marie was swept up in. She had always been alright at potions, but nothing too special. It would appear that was Lily's domain.

Before Marie had even made her way to the cupboard Lily had her ingredients on her desk and was beginning to chop them. Mahdi reassured her that this was normal, especially with a bottle of Felix Felicis up for grabs and that it would be fought out between Snape, Remus and Lily as to who would get it. "The rest of us don't really stand a chance."

"Who's Snape?" Marie asked as she laid her dry ingredients on the desk.

"You know the boy Sirius was teasing outside?" Marie nodded, "It's him, his name's Severus Snape. He's a Slytherin, greasy haired boy. Not the kind you want to make friends with."

"Just the _name _Severus sounds awfully creepy if you ask me man. Like, it's Sever-us. As in you know, chop-us, dismember-us." Mahdi laughed and began putting her ingredients in her cauldron. "Who would name their kid that man? It's sick."

Before Mahdi could reply the Professor waddled over, "And you must be Marie Harlden then." He asked. "I'm Professor Slughorn, potions teacher and head of Slytherin at this fine school."

"Cool man, pleased to meet you." Marie smiled and continued on with her work, he laughed.

"I see what the other teachers mean when they said you were different. I hear you have poor Professor McGonagall all in a tizzy." He chuckled again. "All in good fun I'm sure."

Marie had no idea what to say.

"So I hear you moved here because of your parents."

"Yes sir." She remembered her and Professor McGonagall's 'discussion' before the sorting last night about respect.

"Your father's a muggle, mother's a squib am I correct?"

"Yes sir." Mahdi looked at her slightly stunned.

"And your father is the Australian Ambassador to Britain? With the muggles of course. Your mother must have been shocked when she found out you had powers. Probably didn't expect you to get any with your background."

"She didn't ma- sir." Marie quickly filled in, "I was raised as a muggle child would be, I was only told the truth about my mum's family when I accidentally shattered every piece of glass in the street when I was singing, I was nine. It was an experiment to see if all the cartoon shows were true, turns out they are if you can do magic."

Professor Slughorn laughed, "Your father is a high ranking muggle then yes?"

"You could say that yeah. We have a fair bit of money, he's on good pay. It's good." Marie really didn't like this conversation, this Professor Slughorn seemed nice enough but he was curious about everything. It disturbed her.

"Good, good. I have a little club of sorts going. We call it the Slug Club. Lily's in it aren't you Lily." Lily looked up and around on hearing her name. "Aren't you Lily?" He asked again.

"Ahh… Yes sir."

"You're a good girl. Anyway, I was wondering if you would care to join us at our little get togethers. Helps make connections you see, and with you being new here it would really help you out."

"That would be … nice, ma- sir" _Remember your manners Marie, remember your manners_.

"Good, I'll send you out an invitation to our next get together when we set a date. Very nice potion you have there Lily." And with that he turned and walked to the other side of the room where he began to confer with Severus about his potion, which, like Lily's, was beginning to boil.

"Well he already likes you it seems. He never did find me interesting enough to talk to." Mahdi looked slightly put out. "Is it true your mother is a squib?"

And then the questions began, Marie had never been too keen on answering questions, or asking them either really. Live and let be as she always said. The rest of the lessons passed rather slowly except for the occasional potion mishaps. Marie and Mahdi's while not perfect were respectable enough to earn a good and in no way near as bad as poor Peter Pettigrew's who's boiled over and spilt all over Mahdi's bag, dying it a acid shade of green.

Always one to look on the bright side she answered Peter's apologies with, "At least it's different" and went back to her own potion.

In the end, Severus won the Felix Felicis, much to the irritation of Lily and Remus who both wanted it for their own ends. Well Remus wanted it more for the ends of his friends but he wanted it none the less.

As they were packing up their ingredients she was approached by Sirius and James. "Oooooh… Looks like the new girls in the Slug Club." They teased and Marie threw her textbook at them.

"What was it you said to me outside, make love not war?" Sirius laughed and waggled his eyebrows.

"That wasn't war, it was … self defence. There's a difference man." Marie snatched back her textbook and put it in her bag. "Do you think I _want_ to be in it anyway? Sounds like a hoity-toity load of high class snobbery if you ask me man. No offence Lily." She added to the girl next to her who didn't seem to hear. She was still furious she hadn't won the potion.

"Yeah well. You're still in it!" James said, just then the bell rang and he and Sirius grabbed their things and ran with out saying a goodbye. Remus and Peter followed closely but at least Remus had the decency to wave.

Mahdi looked down at her acid green backpack and sighed, she put her hand to it and it came away wet, leaving a green stain on her fingers. "Great, just great."

"I'll fix it up for you, don't worry." Lily flicked her wand and the bag dried instantly, much of the potion flaking off but still leaving it with a noticeable green tint. "That's the best I can do, sorry."

"Well at least you'll stand out from the crowd." Margaret laughed as she walked over. Emma echoed her laughter and sniffed as her gaze fell on Marie. Marie gave her biggest smile in return. "Sorry about that potion, I bet _Snivelus_," She went into a fit of giggles at using the name Sirius does, "cheated anyway. I saw you talking to Sirius earlier Marie, do you like him?"

Marie was taken aback. "Do I like him? As in like-like man? No, he seems alright, he's good looking and all but no way man. He's a friend."

Margaret snorted, "Like you don't. Everyone does. But just so you know, he's mine," She stepped forward threateningly, "And if I find you anywhere _near_ him in that way then I will ruin you."

Marie raised her eyebrows. "Riiiiiightio then. Hey Lily, weren't you going to take me to the owlery?"

"Oh yeah, I had forgotten about that. Just a second." Lily put the last of her things away and picked up her bag. The two girls left on their way to the owlery, leaving Mahdi with Margaret and Emma who whispered something then went into fits of hysterics.

The owlery was large and reeked despite the fact that it had just been cleaned out. Lily helped her select a fast owl and they sent of Marie's letter without further ado.

"I should get my reply by tomorrow morning. According to mum we live really close to the school. She was winging about how she has to drive me all the way to London only to have me come back. Unfortunately Dumbledore won't let me get dropped of straight at the school; he says it would make it appear I get special treatment. Especially since I'm new and from Australia." Marie explained to Lily as they walked back to the Gryffindor Tower.

"_Midnight sol solis_." Lily said and the fat lady swung open after enquiring about their first day and questioning Marie about Australia.

"You know what you should do?" Lily said once they had stepped inside the crowded room, Marie shook her head. "After dinner you should bring your guitar down and sing us all some songs. You could sit by the fire and serenade everyone." She laughed and they started up the stairs to their dormitory, waving to the Marauders and Mahdi as they passed.

Marie joined in her laughter. "Yeah I should eh man. I'll go get it after tea. Educate all these thoroughly unschooled young witches and wizards in good music taste."

The girls dumped their bags and went down to the common room where everyone was beginning to leave for dinner. Hijacked once again, well not really hijacked, Lily was nice but she enjoyed the guys company more, she found herself sitting with the Marauders as they called themselves and drinking more of this foreign pumpkin juice.

Dinner was a happy event and she was given (in step by step detail) the story of how exactly James and Sirius had pulled off the prank in Transfiguration. Marie also passed on Margaret's warning to her about Sirius which sent the boys into hysterics.

"Anyone! _Anyone!_ But her." Sirius said as he started on his pumpkin pasties. Marie had avoided them, they were still covered in her hatred of pumpkin, even if the juice was not.

* * *

The common room was crowded when Marie came downstairs. Lily was in an argument with James by the fire and Sirius Remus and Peter were talking nearby. Mahdi saw the guitar Marie was carrying and yelled at Lily who turned and grinned.

"Marie! Over here!" Lily gestured next to her by the fire, suddenly the room got very quiet and it felt like everyone was watching her. Marie may be a fairly confident person but all these people were rather unnerving. Fighting back her nerves she strolled over to Lily. James was giving everyone angry looks and ruffling his hair but smiled when Marie stood next to him.

"Can I stand next to your fire?" Marie asked as she hung her guitar strap over her shoulder and she suddenly knew _exactly _what she was going to sing.

"Yeah, sure. I heard you were going to be playing for us tonight." He laughed at the look on Marie's face.

"Well great, looks like I'll have an audience then." She said sarcastically and began to tune her guitar; all eyes fell on her again.

"WOOOOOOOOO! Go Marie!" Yelled Sirius from his armchair and she winced when she saw the venomous glare Margaret sent her way.

"Ok then! I'm ready!" Marie shouted, testing the acoustics while making sure everyone knew she was ready. The acoustics weren't bad, not great but they would have to do.

"You don't care for me, I don'-a care about that, Gotta new fool, ha! I like it like that, I have only one burning desire, Let me stand next to your fire…" She kicked into the chorus and was amazed by how suddenly confident she felt.

When the song finished she was greeted with applause from most, Margaret, not surprisingly was scowling because she was no longer the centre of attention. _Petulant child_, Marie thought and kicked off another song, dearly hoping she would manage to get her homework done for tomorrow.

* * *

Review please! I hope you all like my epic chapter!

Pagan


	4. Education

**Flower Magic: New Beginning**

**Chapter 4: Education**

Breakfast at Hogwarts is a loud affair at any time but is at its peak with the arrival of the post. Owls swooped in through the open windows of the Great Hall, carrying packages, parcels and letters to the students and teachers eating their breakfast. The first week back at school was always exceptionally busy with parents sending in items students had left at home, as was the case this morning for Marie and Peter.

The owl that Marie had sent to her mother swooped down in front of her, carrying a long cylindrical package. Her posters had arrived right when she had predicted they would. For Peter a fat, tawny owl carrying a heavy square package dropped it in front of him and nipped him on the hand, causing him to cry out in fright. He pulled back the packaging to uncovered three of his text books.

"Oops, I didn't even realise I'd left them at home." He laughed nervously and rubbed the spot where the owl had bitten him.

"Come here fella," Marie called the owl over and he hopped across, dragging her package through James's breakfast on the way. The owl held out its leg for her to untie the package before taking some of her toast and flying away.

"Finally." Marie grinned as she examined the package.

"What's that?" Sirius asked, his mouth full of bacon and eggs.

"My posters, I sent to mum for them yesterday." Marie replied excitedly and began attacking the brown wrapping paper furiously.

"Posters of what?"

"You'll see." Ripping off the last of the wrapping paper Marie uncovered a cylindrical cardboard tube, inside which her posters were held. Tipping them out carefully into her lap and a packet of Blue-Tack fell out. "Gees man, she even thought of blue-tack." Marie muttered to herself and sighed contently when she unfurled the posters.

"Who's that?" James asked over her shoulder, moving around for a better look. He was pointing to a poster of a group of four men standing in front of an aeroplane that was on top of the pile.

"They're Led Zeppelin man, see that guy there, that's Jimmy Page and over there is Robert Plant an-and there is..." Marie energetically pointed out the band members to a clueless James.

"Yea but who _are_ they?"

"Who _are _they? _Only one of the greatest bands of all time!_" James still remained clueless and it clearly showed, "Fine then, you don't deserve to look upon the posters. Shame on you man." And with that she rolled up the posters and put them back into the container.

"What? What did I do?" But before Marie could reply the bell signalling the beginning of class rang out across the school and the few remaining students in the Great Hall grabbed their things and ran before they got into trouble for being late.

* * *

Though not daring to remove the posters from their container Marie checked the container was safe in her bag at intervals of around ten minutes throughout the day, much to the amusement of the Marauders, Lily, Mahdi and Siobhan. She could hardly wait for the end of classes so she could rush back to her room and put them up. _As sad as it is this is probably the thing I've looked forward to the most since coming here_, Marie thought as the bell rang to signal the end of Herbology. She pushed all her equipment into the already overloaded arms of Siobhan and fled the classroom at a pace most believed her incapable of.

She had Herbology with the Ravenclaws and from what she knew of those Ravenclaws she had met they were a generally decent bunch. The girl Mahdi had introduced her to in Divination, Siobhan, was in her Herbology group along with Mahdi and Lily as the Marauders were at a workstation of their own.

She hurried past a group shocked Hufflepuff first years standing in the Entrance Hall as she dashed up the stairs, determined to get to her dormitory with ample time to set up her posters before dinner. She was one of the first people back into the common room with the exception of a couple of seventh years who had had no classes last period.

They gave her a few strange looks as she leapt the last two steps and landed on the landing with a thud, nearly rolling her ankle and losing her balance. Finally Marie pushed open the door and collapsed onto her bed, slightly exhausted from the exertion of getting there so quickly.

After a moment or two's pause she rolled over and pulled out the container holding the posters her mother had sent that morning. Reverently she removed them, careful not to harm them unnecessarily as she examined them for new creases or tears that could have occurred since she had left for Hogwarts. To her amazement there were in the same pristine condition she had left them in and breathed a sigh of relief that she wouldn't have to complain about her mothers handling methods. Marie carefully placed each of them on the wall next to her bed and was tacking up the last one, a large poster of The Who, just as Mahdi and Lily walked in.

"Someone was in a hurry." Mahdi said as she walked over to examine Marie's handiwork, "You nearly knocked Siobhan over when you threw all your equipment at her."

Marie laughed, "I asked her to put them away for me."

"Yea, after you'd thrown it all at her." The dark girl laughed and started to examine a poster of a black man dressed in a similar fashion to what Marie usually wore and was holding an electric guitar. "Who's he?" She spotted another poster of him on the other side of the bed, "You have two of him."

"That's Jimi Hendrix." Marie smiled as she took a step back to make sure all her posters were exactly as she wanted them. _Just as it should be, I can proudly claim this area as my own_. "He was an amazing guitarist, man, really, like, amazing. There never was and never will someone quite as good as him."

"So does he just play guitar or does he sing or something as well?" Mahdi had walked to the other side of Marie's bed to get a better look at the other poster of him, it looked like it a pop art drawing of his face in black and white on a red background with his name written above it.

"He was a singer, songwriter and guitarist, he was just… wow, man, like, wow." Marie sighed, "I would give anything to play even half as good as he did."

She looked like she was drifting off into her own fantasy world and Mahdi continued to gaze at the poster, "Well I don't know about you but I think he's hot!"

Both Marie and Lily laughed at this, "Don't worry man, I agree wholeheartedly."

"Have you met him?"

"Met him? Oh I wish… No I was like, eleven., when he died man." A sad looked crossed Marie's face and Mahdi looked crestfallen.

"He's _dead_!"

"Yea, man. Died four years ago. It was such a loss." There was silence for a moment as the girls mourned the loss of Jimi Hendrix until Lily broke the silence.

"Oh my god! You have a Woodstock poster!"

"It's one of my most prized possessions. I was on holiday in America with my mum and dad a couple of years back and found it in a vintage shop in New York." She smiled almost smugly at the memory.

"Err… sorry for sounding like and idiot but, what's Woodstock?" Mahdi inquired innocently.

From then on the rest of the time before dinner, throughout dinner, and after dinner was spent educating Mahdi on the world of Muggle music (and its festivals), muggle traditions and basically how muggles lived in general.

It was assured that by the end of that night the poor witch knew exactly who the bands on Marie's posters were, the names of all the members, and could list virtually every song they had ever written, let alone recorded. It was safe to assume she was now the first of Marie's soon to be long line of converts.

* * *

Well sorry this chapter is kinda short. I wanted to leave it here instead of have this chapter and the one after it one long combined one as I originally planned. REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW!!!

Pagan


	5. Disappearances and Similarities

**Flower Magic: New Beginning**

Here we go another chapter up at last. I apologise for the wait. Christmas for me is as busy as it would seem to be in Marie's life too. Read on dear readers…

**Chapter 5: Disappearances and Similarities**

As the saying went, 'time flies when your having fun' and as cliché as it was Marie couldn't help but agree with it wholeheartedly. She had settled in with a quickly and easily, much, _much_ easier than what she had thought she would. Her friends, a group of boys who called themselves the Marauders, who she spent most of her time with, where some of the funniest people she had ever met. But she couldn't exclude Mahdi, the tall black girl who had been nice to her from the start and Siobhan the quiet on the outside, crazy rocker on the inside who Marie had grown close to throughout their Divination and Herbology lessons together.

There were, of course, those ever present girls that seemed to live (even in the most perfect of lives) to make your life hell. For Marie, this position was filled by the incessantly flirtatious and too-good-for-you Margaret Carroll and her crony Emma Robertson. _I had no argument with them, they started this whole business_ Marie thought but realised she had in fact taken an instant dislike to Margaret, an unusual practice for one such as Marie.

Marie enjoyed the time she had spent at Hogwarts, it was so different to what she had known back in Australia at Womroodna. For one thing, teachers were a whole lot stricter here and there were three times as many people. Australia, being a relatively new country compared to places in Europe had a much smaller population of Muggles, let alone Witches and Wizards. The native Aboriginals had a much higher percentage of Magic-folk to Muggles in their population, though many were reluctant to join with the White Europeans in creating a Ministry of Magic. In the racist society of the 1970's most Aboriginal witches and wizards in the more isolated areas of the country remained with their own tribes where they held a special place in traditional society and had no need to hide their powers amongst their own.

"Marie, _Marie_!" Remus yelled in her ear, breaking her out of her reminiscence. "McGonagall's coming."

Jumping upright she saw both Sirius and James had already completed their own jump to attention as their head of house walked over to the Gryffindor table.

"Do any of you students intend to remain behind over the Christmas break?" She asked and lifted a quill to her clipboard in preparation.

"I wish." Sirius mumbled and Marie grinned, knowing of his family troubles back home. She glanced at the people around her, none of them made a move as if to inform the professor of their intention to stay behind.

"Very well then, I expect to see you all in class on time after this." She looked pointedly at Sirius and James who made as if to look innocent. Seeing their looks she huffed and continued down the table.

"I had forgotten that Christmas was so soon, I take it everyone is going home for the break then." Remus said as he pulled apart a piece of toast.

"Yep," James said as he concentrated comically hard on buttering his own slice of toast.

"Unfortunately, mother's organising some 'Black Family Christmas' party. Thrilling, my house will be full of even more evil psychopaths than usual." Sirius moaned and looked sullen.

"Gees man, I'm sure they can't all be that bad." Marie sipped at her pumpkin juice.

"Oh trust me, they can. I have a cousin that's ok, but the family disowned her. Married a muggle you see." Sirius shook his head and murmured something incoherent before putting on an upbeat expression. "So Marie, what are you're plans for the holidays?"

"I'm heading back to Australia with my parents for a family Christmas. It's summer over there now so it should be good. I hate the cold weather here. Man, you're summer here is not summer."

Sirius laughed, "Sounds like you're family Christmas will be ten times better than mine."

Peter looked around and saw that the table was emptying, glancing at his watch he realised it wasn't long before first lesson started. "We-we'd better go or McGonagall will get angry, she already warned us about being late."

James picked up his bag, laughing. "How many times has she warned us about being late and how many times has she actually given you a detention about it?"

The rat-like boy looked pensive for a moment, "Ne-never."

"Exactly."

"But you and Sirius and Marie get them all the time…"

"McGonagall knows you are only ever late 'cos we make you late, and she has a personal vendetta against the three of us." Remus and Marie also stood, chewing their last mouthfuls of breakfast whilst Sirius still sat relaxed at his bench. Stretching out he put his hands behind his head and laid down as if waiting for something.

"Come on mate." James said and poked him in the side, the rest of the Marauders were already ready to leave.

"Go on without me, she'll just have to wait a bit more before seeing another dose of my rugged good looks." He grinned and settled into his bench.

"Righto then, seeya later." James led the group out of the hall.

* * *

Sirius never did turn up for transfiguration, or potions, charms or any other subjects they had that day. Nor was he there at lunch. The rest of the Marauders returned from last period to find him sitting before the common room fire, surrounded by bottles of butter beer, chocolates and sweets.

"Sirius mate, if you were planning a little trip why didn't you tell me?" James asked as he rushed over and grabbed a bottle of butter beer

"Well you see, I thought I'd surprise you all. McGonagall wasn't too angry was she?" He asked, not really concerned, and popped the rest of a chocolate frog into his mouth before reclining lazily in his arm chair.

The rest of Gryffindor filtered into the common room, looking slightly amused by Sirius's antics. Margaret strolled in, spotted Sirius, flipped her hair and giggled before settling herself at a table on the other side of the room where she could make eyes at Sirius for the rest of the night. Rolling her eyes Marie turned back to find Sirius handing out his loot amongst the marauders.

"Don't look so shocked, I'm not being generous, I took the liberty of going through your trunks and getting some of your own money. Don't worry," He said to the concerned looks he was receiving, "I returned any of the left over coin." Peter breathed a sigh of relief.

"But how did you get to mine? I thought boys couldn't get into the girls dormitory." Marie asked as he handed her two chocolate frogs.

Sirius looked up, deliberating, "Perhaps I'm being just a teensy bit generous there, but shhh, don't tell the others."

Marie grinned and gulped down one of the frogs in a single bite, "They'll never even know you gave them to me." This was more than likely true as James, Peter and Lupin were comparing the pros and cons of Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans and completely oblivious to what was going on around them.

"So, you're off to have fun over Christmas while I'm stuck on the hell-hole of Grimwauld Place with my irritatingly pure pure-blood family." He said bitterly as he opened up another bottle of Butter beer.

"Yeah man, it would seem a lot like that." Marie reached for one of the bottles of Butter Beer herself and Sirius lifted a hand as if to stop her, after a moment he reconsidered and waved her towards them.

"Hmmm, it's hardly fair."

She nodded, "Not that I'm complaining though. Man I miss Australia. I miss the sun!"

"It can't be that cold and miserable here."

Marie snorted, "You can tell you've never left the country."

"Excuse me I went to France once-" He was cut off as Mahdi wandered over.

"Marie! God you left class so fast I couldn't find you!"

"Sorry about that man, we wanted to see if Sirius was here." She apologised to her friend.

Mahdi turned to Sirius as if she hadn't noticed him sitting in the chair before. "Oh, hi Sirius!" He nodded to her with an heir of superiority, more then likely in revenge for her not noticing him. Marie rolled her eyes and whacked him in the shoulder.

"Hey I thought violence wasn't the answer! What happened to make love not war?" Yelled a disgruntled Sirius as he rubbed his shoulder and glared at her.

"There's an exception when it comes to you." She smiled and poked him in the ribs and was given a hard poke in return. The fight was on.

"Umm…" Coughed Mahdi, "Sorry to break up this happy, little, poking bubble thing you two have happening here." The two others stopped and looked at her before pulling away from each other quickly. "But the reason I was looking for you in the first place was that Lily was given this from Slughorn and she asked me to pass it on to you."

Marie took the scroll from Mahdi's hand and examined it; it was smooth white parchment with a red ribbon wrapped around it. She recognised it instantly, _the damned Slug Club_. "Do I _have_ to?"

"It's to the Christmas party, you have to go." Mahdi said apologetically. "Come on, you know you want to go, you just don't want people to think you actually mix with those upper class types."

"Man, you're saying that to me with _him_ sitting there." She gestured to Sirius who smiled and waved pleasantly.

The black girl laughed, "Yes, well, you're not quite as bad as he is, but you still don't want people to think that. And anyway, didn't he ask you to join because you were 'unusual'?"

"I don't know man, I don't care. I don't want to have to mess around with all that sort of thing. I get enough of it when I'm at home, more than enough in fact." Marie threw her hands up in the air.

"You're say that with _me_ sitting here?" Mimicked Sirius.

Both the girls laughed, "And there is also the problem of who you are going to take with you." Mahdi said and raised and eyebrow suggestively.

"Oh man, I have to _take _someone?" _As if this whole thing isn't bad enough already_, Marie thought angrily.

"Well you don't _have_ to but it's expected of you to."

Marie growled and turned to Sirius whose ears had pricked up eagerly. A thought dashed through her head but she quickly put it aside, "Sirius, who can I take?"

Sirius looked like he was caught slightly off guard, as if he expected a different question. "Umm, well you could take James? No but he wouldn't want to make Evans think he was interested in someone else. Or Remus?" Marie considered for a moment before shaking her head, "Yeah you're right, you'd probably have to spend the time talking to some boring-as-hell text book author." Sirius sniggered, "There's always Peter."

Marie's eyes widened and she shook her head quickly, "He'd probably spend the whole night curled up in the corner avoiding eye contact in case I went near him."

Sirius laughed, "Too true. So if you can't take James, Remus or Peter I guess that just leaves-"

"Someone from another house or year I guess." Marie cut in, tugging on the end of her scarf as she thought.

"There's always-" Sirius started but was interrupted again by Marie, who didn't seem to have heard him.

"There's that boy in Ravenclaw that's alright, he's pretty good looking." Mahdi nodded, considering.

"What about Charles Drury, in Hufflepuff, he's good." Mahdi suggested.

"Yeah he's nice." Marie nodded. "A definite possibility."

"What about-" Put in Sirius but once again the girls seemed to ignore him and continue on their own conversation. Growling, he jumped to his feet and went to join his other friends.

"What was that about?" Mahdi asked as she watched Sirius leave.

"No idea man, no idea." Marie frowned as she watched his retreating back.

"So you're going to ask Drury then?"

"Yeah," Marie thought for a moment, tugging on her scarf again, "Yeah I think I will. I just have to talk to him more first. I think I've spoken to him, three, maybe four times."

"Well that does make it slightly more difficult but he'll go with you. I bet he will. It's on Wednesday so you don't really have that much time. Anyway, I'm surprised you haven't pointed him out to me before, he looks a lot like Jimi Hendrix to me." Mahdi took the chair Sirius had vacated, sinking into the padding.

"Oh don't think I haven't noticed, they have the same hair and eyes…. And mouth. And then the fact that they are both black." She thought for a moment, "You're right, man they do look incredibly similar."

"Tomorrow then?"

"What do you mean tomorrow?"

"You'll go talk to him."

"Well yeah I guess so. I might have to 'accidentally on purpose' trip over him or something at breakfast." Mahdi laughed, "God, man, I'm turning into 'The Dreaded Marge'."

Mahdi laughed and Marie collapsed into the armchair with her, Mahdi wriggling over so the two of them could just fit.

* * *

So what did you guys think of that chapter? Was it any good? Let me know and review!

Pagan


	6. The Asking

**Flower Magic: New Beginning**

A new chapter finally emerges from the depths of my infinite imagination... Did I just sound arrogant or what? Any way, enjoy.

Oh, and don't forget to review either!

**Chapter 6: The Asking**

A rowdy crowd descended to the Great Hall for breakfast Saturday morning, everyone beginning to feel the happy Christmas spirit. Marie, dressed in a pair of decorated denim flares and a t-shirt showing a large purple peace sign was pressed close to Mahdi as the walked through the crowd along the corridor leading from Gryffindor Tower.

"So, you ready to 'accidentally-on-purpose' fall over Charles Drury?" Mahdi grinned and nudged her friend in the arm.

Marie blushed and nudged her friend back.

"Oh my god! You blushed, you actually _blushed_! You actually like him don't you?" Mahdi laughed as they began to descend down a flight of stairs. Marie mumbled something undecipherable, "What was that?"

"I find him…incredibly attractive, that's all man. I've spoken to him like, twice, if that." Her voice was still quiet.

"That's not much of an argument you know, most people have crushes after _seeing _someone, let alone talking to them a couple of times."

"Yeah well, I don't like him." Marie snapped.

"_Sure_ you don't."

"Stop being so girly, you know I hate that." Marie snapped again.

"I'm a girl, it's what I do."

"Well stop it!"

"Marie's in denial." Mahdi chanted in a singsong voice as they began to descend the steps to the entrance hall.

"I am not!"

"Are too." They were silent for a moment as they queued to get into the great hall. "So when are you gonna do it, before or after breakfast."

"Before, do you see him man?" Marie eagerly said and got onto her toes searching, only proving what Mahdi was saying to be true.

"Nope I can't-"

_BANG!_

Marie fell to the floor in a tangle of legs, she heard Mahdi laughing hysterically and shot her a glare before snapping her head back around at the sound of a male voice.

"Oh my god, I'm so sorry! I didn't see you and I was mucking around and being an idiot when all of a sudden I ran into you. I'm sorry!" He cringed with embarrassment.

She looked up into the face of the boy she was entangled with and did some cringing of her own. Charles Drury was turning the same shade of red Marie was, which only made her blush harder. She recognised him by his afro instantly, it being the only one in the school. She untangled herself and got to her feat, roughly supported by Mahdi who was still in hysterics over the whole situation.

"Don't worry man. It was probably half my fault anyway." Marie blabbered as Drury got to his feet.

"I'm Charlie, by the way." He reached out and shook her hand.

"I'm Marie."

"Cool," Just then he realised they were blocking the doors, "I'd better get to my table, we're blocking the doors."

"Oh yeah." Marie smiled.

"See you 'round!" he called as he walked away to the Hufflepuff table.

Marie and Mahdi made their way over to their own table and sat down next to the Marauders.

"I can't believe that just happened, you couldn't have asked for it to turn out better. You didn't trip over him, he tripped over you, and it wasn't even an accident!" Mahdi laughed loudly, grabbing the attention of the boys next to them.

"What's this?" James asked, leaning over to hear better.

"Marie just made a fool of herself in front of Drury." Mahdi was still laughing about it.

"Charlie Drury? The Hufflepuff fifth year?" Remus asked.

"That's the one."

Sirius turned to address Marie, "Isn't he the one you were thinking of asking to Slughorn's party?"

"Yep." Mahdi grinned, answering all the questions because she knew Marie wouldn't. "I can't believe it, you're still blushing. I haven't seen you blush once the whole time you've been here and that's twice in under half an hour."

"Shut up about it! Let me eat my breakfast in peace man, give me some sympathy." Marie grabbed a goblet and filled to near overflowing with pumpkin juice.

Marie forbid the mention of Charlie Drury throughout breakfast, but that didn't stop Mahdi from randomly breaking into fits of laughter.

They were finishing up when Mahdi leaned in, "Marie! He's looking at you!" She whispered excitedly. "But don't turn around!"

They stood up, Marie careful not to turn around, and made their way to the entrance hall doors.

Jogging footsteps caught them before they could leave, "Marie!" They spun around to see Charlie coming after them. "Hey Marie, you don't happen to have your charms text book do you? A mate of mine in your year is missing a couple of pages and asked if he could borrow one to get down what he needs."

"Yeah man, sure. You want me to lend it to him? Who is he? I'll give it to him after lunch." Marie asked, amazing Mahdi by not going red.

"That'd be great! Can you meet me down by the lake with it after lunch?" He asked smiling.

"Yeah man, sure. Wouldn't it just be easier for me to give the book to him though?" Marie asked, this time going slightly red, _why is the only time I ever get embarrassed around the guy I like, oh my god, I just admitted it. Damn Mahdi!_

He turned a little red at this, "Err, yeah but he's busy today… all today… and asked if I could get it for him."

"Oh, all right. See you then!" She started to walk towards the doors.

"Yeah, see you then!" he yelled after her.

Marie smiled and walked into the entrance hall, closely followed by a grinning Mahdi.

"I told you he would go with you to the party! And you didn't even have to do anything!" She virtually screamed as they entered the entrance hall.

"What do you mean he'll go with me to Slughorn's party, he's asking for me to give him my textbook to lend to his friend?"

Mahdi rolled her eyes, "Bloody hell Marie you're thick. For one thing, why would the Hufflepuff kid ask _you _for _your_ text book when he could have borrowed someone from his own house's ten times more easily. Why would he ask Drury to borrow yours for him? And also, why would he ask you to meet him by the lake to get a textbook? Why the place where everyone goes for romantic strolls?"

"You're too smart for your own good man."

"Smart, _smart?_ It's called common sense Marie."

"Yeah sure, whatever you say man." Marie huffed but couldn't help the grin that was slipping into place.

* * *

Marie grabbed an over the shoulder bag she'd had brought for some unknown reason and stuffed her Charms book into it, checking her appearance in the mirror by her bed before running down the stair for lunch.

"Come on Marie!" Sirius yelled at her from the common room floor, "Lunch isn't ready all day you know!"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," She said as she approached them, swinging her bag over her shoulder. Everyone else had already left.

"What's the bag for?" Sirius asked once they were outside the common room.

"I have to go give Charlie my charms textbook. For a friend of his."

"Why not just give it to the friend?" he asked.

"Because he asked me to meet him by the lake and hand it over, his friend was busy."

"Oh I see." Sirius gave her a knowing look, "So you like him then?"

Marie blushed_, my _god_ what is it with me blushing today!_ "He seems really nice, he's good looking."

"I take that as a yes then." He sighed and looked away. "So you're going to ask him to come to the Slug's Christmas thing then?"

"Yeah probably." Marie smiled faintly.

"I thought as much," He murmured quietly so that Marie could barely hear. "He's the only one you would have considered?"

"Yeah pretty much, I'm not interested in any of the other guys I could have asked in that way. Like taking James or Remus would just have been weird you know man?"

"I see what you mean." He said quietly. The rest of the trip to lunch was spent in a tense silence Marie didn't really understand but wasn't wiling to break.

As she and Sirius walked into the hall Charlie frowned when he saw them entering together before giving her a smile which she returned with a happy wave. Sirius's face twisted in a grimace Marie didn't notice.

* * *

Marie saw Charlie get up and leave his table just as she was finishing her own food. Looking down the table to where Mahdi was sitting with Lily she winked and stood up. Mahdi gave her a silent cheer as she stood and was returned with a nudge as Marie passed. Margaret watched her with hawk eyes before flicking to Sirius to make sure he wasn't going with her. She settled back in her seat when she saw him still sitting and showing no intention of moving.

She sped up once she was out of the great hall, eager to see if Mahdi's suspicions about Charlie were true. He was already waiting under a tree by the lake and waved when she exited the Entrance Hall. Marie was glad that the distance hid her blush.

For once conscious of her movements, thoughts ran through her mind that she wouldn't dare to admit to anyone. Things like, _should I walk faster? Or would that make me look to eager? Maybe I should just stroll casually… but then he might think I'm not interested at all. Is my hair all right? _The list continued in such a manner.

"Hi Marie!" Charles Drury smiled as she arrived at the tree he was standing beside.

"Hey man, I brought that book you wanted." She replied, slightly flustered.

"Oh yeah, about that," He blushed slightly, "I really didn't need it. I just didn't have the guts to ask you to meet up with me any other way."

"Oh," Marie laughed, "So Mahdi was right then." He looked slightly confused, "My friend, the one that was with me when we….err…. collided. She told me that you were using the book as an excuse to meet up with me. Man," She shook her head, "I should have known, Mahdi is always right when it comes to this sort of thing."

The boy laughed, "Am I really that predictable?"

"To Mahdi you are."

There came an awkward pause as the laughing subsided and Marie stared at her feet while Charlie appeared to be examining the tree they were under closely. The awkward silence continued for a few moments more, neither of them willing to say something else for fear of seaming to eager. Finally, Charlie plucked up the courage to speak.

"So, err, do you wanna walk?"

Marie smiled shyly back, "Sure man, why not?" Charlie grinned and they began to stroll around the lake edge making polite conversation and striving to work out what the other was thinking.

Half an hour had passed and they found themselves seated on a group of outcropping rocks at the water edge, watching the great squid trail its tentacles slowly across the water in patterns only it could decipher.

"I'm invited to Slughorn's stupid Christmas party on Wednesday, man it'll be boring." Marie said tentatively and shot a glance at the boy next to her. His expression hadn't changed as he continued to observe the giant squid, now pulling itself out into the deeper sections of the lake.

"Oh," He replied casually.

"Yeah, I've managed to skip out on all the other meetings and dinners and things he's organised for his club. Apparently I can't get out of this one though. According to Mahdi we are supposed to take someone." She thought she saw his eyes flash to her for a second then before quickly returning to coolly examine the lake. She hoped she wasn't completely misjudging the situation and the eagerness she thought she had seen wasn't just her imagination.

"I thought you would go with Black?" he asked, keeping his eyes dead ahead.

"Sirius?" She asked astonished, "Why would I go with him?" Truth be told, she hadn't even considered him until now.

He seemed to let out a sigh of relief and finally turned to look at her, "Well some people have been saying that you were together. When I saw you two walking into the hall together at lunch I thought, maybe…. And he didn't look too pleased when I smiled at you."

"He didn't? People say that?" Marie was puzzled, she decided she would have to ask Sirius about it latter, she had more important things to worry about for the minute. Charlie nodded. "Well, anyway," She began nervously, avoiding Charlie's eyes, "I was wondering if err, you might be interested in coming with me.' He grinned at her and she quickly added, "It'll be pretty boring though man, like you really don't have to. I wouldn't want to put you through all that."

He ignored it with a wave of his hand, "Sure I'd come. It'll be fun, and I wouldn't want you spending the night bored and alone." Finally Marie smiled. "We should be making our way back up to the castle. I'm taking an awfully long time collecting a text book." He winked and stood up, lending a hand down to Marie and helping her to her feet.

Smiling and hand in hand, they made their way back up to the castle. Marie all the while thinking about how irritating Mahdi would be for the next couple of weeks.

* * *

So what do you think of Charlie? Review and tell me!

Pagan


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